Holding pin



March 27, 1962 C. P. STRONG HOLDING PIN Filed Sept. 22, 1958 INVENTOR H/S ATTORNEY States This invention relates to a holding pin for holding a strap orlike article-suspending means on a surface to which the pin is applied.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved holding pin which, while dispensing with a catch and the consequent manipulation required both before and after application, is as safe in applied position as a conventional safety pin.

Another object of the invention to provide a catchless holding pin for holding an article-suspending strap or the like, which, unlikea conventional safety pin, becomes safer and more securely attached with increase in the applied load.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a catchless holding pin which is practically safe before and during application, is entirely safe after application and requires no spreading of its pin means preliminary to its application to a surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide a catchless holding pin which not only is safe but, by being adapted to bear against a surface to which it is applied outwardly of stop means limiting the outward extent of its strap-supporting platform, ensures that any load applied to the platform will act to force the pin against rather than swing it away from the surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a catchless holding pin wherein the pin means is of rocker form so as, during application, to direct its pointed end back to the surface to which the pin is applied and the outer bearing means, which prevent the pin from swinging away from the surface under load, also serve as a guard for the pointed ends of the pin means.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a catchless holding pin having a guard longitudinally overlaped by its pin means, wherein the pointed ends of the pin means initially project beyond an adjoining portion of the guard only sufficiently to engage the material of the surface to which the pin is applied and at all times are contained within the outer longitudinal limit of the guard with consequent maximum protection to the user.

A further object of the invention is to provide a catchless holding pin which not only is proof against being swung by loading away from the surface to which it is applied, but with increase in load increases the bearing area over which the load is distributed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the holding pin of the present invention in its normal or unloaded condition and under load;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the pin of FIG- URE 1 under load;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the pin of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the pin of FIG- URE 1. 7

Referring now in detail to the drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts, the improved holding pin of the present invention is usable, generally, for holding, on any surface to which the pin is pinnable, a strap, knotted cord or other article-suspending means, hereinafter termed collectively a strap. However, it is especially adapted for use as a shoulder pin for holding 3,26,588 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 a shoulder strap on a persons shoulder, so as to carry or hold up, without demand on ones hands, such articles as cameras, binoculars, womens handbags, creels, or even waders.

Illustrated, as exemplary of the invention, in the form of a shoulder pin, the holding pin 1 of the present invention is comprised of a strap-supporting platform or ledge 2 which is limited or terminated at its outer end 3 by an upstanding stop or stop lug or shoulder 4. Disposed intermediate the ends of the pin, the stop 4 is interposed between and joins or connects the platform 2 and an outer extension or bearing or support member 5 which forms the outer end portion of the pin and is adapted to bear, outwardly of or beyond the stop, against a surface to which the pin is applied. Either flat or, preferably, curved downwardly toward its inner end 6 and having its inner end portion 7 formed as a downturned lip, the platform 2 has fixed or secured to or made rigid with its inner end portion 7 at or adjacent its inner end the inner or captive end 8 of resilient or flexible pin means 9 which extend below the platform or on the opposite side thereof from the stop t, outwardly beyond the stop into longitudinally overlapping relation with the outer extension 5.

Bowed, arched or curved downwardly or away from the platform 2, and defining with the platform a materialreceiving opening 21 in the form of a rocker, the pin means 9 may be a single pin element but, for lateral stability of the platform 2, preferably is a pair of transversely spaced elements which, to resist detachment of the pin 1, desirably are oppositely or counterpartly corrugated or sinuous. Longitudinally overlapping and, laterally, either straddling or straddled by the extension 5 depending upon the form of the latter, the pin elements 9, in the normal or unloaded condition of the pin shown in FIGURE 1, not only cooperate with the extension to close the opening 21 but have their pointed or free ends projecting beyond the contiguous or adjacent portion of the extension 5, the projection preferably being slight to minimize risk to the user but suflicient to enable the pin points readily to be engaged with and inserted into the fabric or other material 11 forming the shoulder of the garment to which the illustrated holding pin is designed to be applied. However, the extension 5, as a whole, preferably extends beyond or outwardly of the pin points 10 so as to contain or confine the latter at all times within the extensions outer longitudinal limit.

Forced downwardly from the extension 5 on initial insertion by the intervening fabric 11, the pointed ends of the pin elements, because of the latters curvature and the engagement of the extension 5 with the upper surface of the fabric, will be directed upwardly away from the shoulder of the user and toward the upper surface of the fabric during application of the pin and, when the pin is fully applied, will project through that surface and resume their normal relation to the extension. Thereafter, when a strap, such as shown at 12, on which a camera or other article (not shown) is suspended, is supported on the platform, the limitation on the outward extent of the platform by the stop 4, relative to the lengh of the pin, restricts the application of the vertical load imposed by the suspended article to an area within on inwardly of the point or area at which the extension engages and bears against or is supported on the surface on which the pin rests. Accordingly, loading of the pin, instead of tending to swing its inner end away from the surface, causes the pin to act as a second-class lever and, by fulcrumming about the extension, to press or force the inner end toward the surface. In process, the reaction of the shoulder of the wearer on the pin elements 9 forces the latter to flex upwardly and their points It} to move upward relative to the extension 5. Thus, if, as in the illustrated embodiment, the pin points it) initially are substantially on the level of the lower extremity of the extension 5 and the outward extent or projection of the extension is increased progressively thereabove, as by upsloping or upcurving its outer or leading edge 13, the pin points, although contained within the outer longitudinal limit of the extension, initially will project slightly beyond the adjoining or contiguous portion thereof and, as the load is imposed on the platform, will be retracted, withdrawn or moved within the lateral projection of the outer longitudinal margin. At the same time, the preferred upsloping leading edge 13 facilitates application of the holding pin to a surface by serving as a skid or shoe on which the pin rides or slides during such application. The retractahility of the points under load within the extension 5 on loading of the holding pin not only enables the extension to serve as a guard equal in effectiveness with the hood of the conventional safety pin but, by contrast with such a pin which will open when the load reaches a predetermined point, the greater the load on the pin of this invention, the more its safety, as well as the greater its resistance to accidental dislodgement.

Projecting or extending not only longitudinally beyond but preferably, as well, below the adjoining outer end 3 of the platform 2 so as normally to space that end from the surface to which the pin is applied, the extension 5 may have its under or bottom surface 14 flat or, as here, rounded or arcuately convex to merge smoothly with its upcurving outer surface 13, in the latter case increasing its bearing area and further distributing the load on the shoulder of the wearer as it is pressed into the garment by the applied load. In the illustrated embodiment, the extension 5 additionally serves as the link between the platform 2 and an upper arm or tongue 15 overlying and spaced above the platform and forming therewith the jaws of an inwardly opening, strap-receiving slot 16 which is limited or restricted at its outer end by the stop 4. Upcurved inwardly to provide the slot 16 with a flared entrance for ready insertion of a strap, the upper arm also provides a ready means for applying any desired decora tive effect to the pin, either by decorating the upper surface 17 of the arm or by aifixing thereto a decorative cover plate.

Serving with the lip 7 as the holding pins end supports, by its engagement with a surface to which the pin is applied outwardly beyond the slot -16 as a stabilizer preventing the pin from swinging away from the surface under load, as a guard for the free ends 19 of the pin elements 9 and also as a slide or skid on which the pin rides on the surface of a garment during application, the extension 5 may readily be formed as an out-turned, partly circular loop or reverse bend 18 providing the pin with a rounded outer end, and by the merger of its upturned lower end portion 19- with the stop 4, form an upturned loop 20, with the loops together joining and integral with the upper arm 15 and platform 2. In such case, as in the illustrated embodiment, this portion of the holding pin 1 may conveniently be bent from flat stock and the securing or fixing of the captive end 8 of the pin means 9 to the underside of the platform 2 may be by soldering or welding, depending on the material used. However, the illustrated S-shape of the holding pin with its upper arm 15, platform 2 and pin means 9, respectively, forming its upper, intermediate and lower legs, as readily may be formed integrally from spring wire initially doubled or bent back on itself to provide the preferred pair of trans versely spaced pin elements and then bent into the S-shape with the two sides of the wire joined or looped together at the upper extremity of the pin. While generally less decorative and more utilitarian than the illustrated embodiment, the alternative Wire form does have the advantage that its sides, over the extension 5, may be spaced so as either to be straddled or embraced by the pin ends 10, as in the illustrated embodiment, or to embrace or straddle those ends, in the latter case confining the pin ends not only longitudinally but laterally within the extension, when the 'holding pin is loaded, with consequent increased protection to the wearer.

It should be understood that the described and disclose-d embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to be included which do not depart fro-m either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A catchless holding pin comprising an upwardly facing supporting platform, stop means upstanding from and defining an outer end of said platform, bearing means connected to and extending from said platform outwardly beyond said stop means, said bearing means forming an outer end portion of said pin and having a lower part adapted -to bear beyond said platform against a surface to which said pin is applied, and resilient pin means below and having a captive end fixed to an inner end porticn of said platform, said pin means being bowed downwardly and having a free end normally closely adjacent to and projecting outwardly beyond said lower part, said free end being freely movable upward and downward relative to said lower part substantially in a plane therebeside, and said free end on loading of said platform being retractable within an outer longitudinal limit of said bearing means.

2. A catchless holding pin comprising an upwardly facing supporting platform, an arm spaced above and defining with said platfonm a slot opening in one direc tion, stop means upstanding from said platform and defining a limit of said slot in the opposite direction, bearing means connected to and extending from said platform outwardly beyond said stop means, said bearing means forming an outer end portion of said pin and having a lower part adapted to bear beyond said platform against a surface to which said pin is applied, and resilient pin means below and having a captive end fixed to an inner end portion of said platform, said pin means being bowed downwardly and having a free end normally closely adjacent to and projecting outwardly beyond said lower part, said free end being freely movable upward and downward relative to said lower part substantially in a plane therebeside, and said free end on loading of said platform being retractable within an outer longitudinal limit of said bearing means.

3. A catchless holding pin comprising an upwardly facing supporting platform, stop means upstanding from and defining an outer end of said platform, bearing means connected to and extending from said platform outwardly beyond said stop means, said bearing means forming an outer end portion of said pin and having a lower part adapted to bear beyond said platform against a surface to which said pin is applied, and a pair of laterally spaced resilient pin elements below and having their captive ends fixed to an inner end portion of said platform, said pin elements being bowed downwardly and having their free ends normally closely adjacent to and projecting outwardly beyond said lower part, each of said free ends being freely movable upward and downward relative to said lower part substantially in a plane therebeside, and said free ends on loading of said platform being retractable within an outer longitudinal limit of said bearing means.

4. A catchless holding pin comprising an upwardly facing supporting platform, stop means upstanding from and defining an outer end of said platform, bearing means connected to and extending from said platform outwardly beyond said stop means, said bearing means forming an outer end portion of said pin and having a lower part adapted to bear beyond said platform against a surface to which said pin is applied, said lower part having an upwardly and outwardly sloping leading edge engageable with said surface during application of said pin, and resilient pin means below and having a captive end fixed to an inner end portion of said platform, said pin means being bowed downwardly and having a free end normally closely adjacent to said lower part and projecting outwardly beyond said leading edge thereof, said free end being freely movable upward and downward relative to said lower part substantially in a place therebeside, and said free end being retractable on loading of said platform within an outer longitudinal limit of said bearing means.

5. A catchless holding pin comprising an upwardly facing supporting platform, stop means upstanding from and defining an outer end of said platform, bearing means connected to and extending from said platform outwardly beyond said stop means, said bearing means forming an outer end portion of said pin and having an arcuately convex undersurface on a lower part thereof adapted to bear beyond said platform against a surface to which said pin is applied, said undersurface on loading of said platform increasing its area of engagement with said surface, and resilient pin means below and having a captive end fixed to an inner end portion of said platform, said pin means being bowed downwardly and having a free end normally closely adjacent to said lower part and projecting outwardly beyond said undersurface thereof, said free end being freely movable upward and downward relative to said lower part substantially in a plane therebeside, and said free end .on loading of said platform being retractable within an outer longitudinal limit of said bearing means.

6. A catchless holding pin comprising a leg, stop means disposed substantially normal to and defining an end of said leg, loop means connected to and aligned longitudinally with said leg and extending longitudinally therefrom beyond said stop means, said loop means forming an outer portion of said pin and having a part longitudinally beyond said leg adapted to bear against a surface of material to which said pin is applied, a pair of transversely spaced resilient pin elements fixed at one end to a portion of said leg removed from said loop means, said pin elements being bowed away from said leg and forming therewith a material-receiving opening, said pin elements normally overlapping said loop means for closing said opening and each having a free end normally closely adjacent to and projecting longitudinally beyond said lower part for insertion in said material, each of said free ends being movable toward and away from said leg substantially in a plane beside said loop means, and said pin elements on insertion of said free ends into said material moving out of overlapping relation with said loop means for opening said opening to said material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 148,797 Yeiser Mar. 17, 1874 175,821 Clawson Apr. 11, 1876 393,740 Clark et al. Dec. 4, 1888 606,427 Rhine June 28, 1898 736,547 Rhoades Aug. 18, 1903 1,015,143 Dallas Jan. 16, 1912 1,422,658 Brooks July 11, 1922 1,538,568 McMahon May 19, 1925 1,820,997 Yeidel Sept. 1, 1931 2,245,510 Turley June 10, 1941 2,642,638 Larrabee June 23, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,889 Great Britain July 29, 1864 5,780 Great Britain Apr. 28, 1886 

